7 Of Today's Fastest Production Cars

Nothing screams best of breed like a Ferrari; especially the 2002 Enzo (the name of the company's founding father). From its traditional Ferrari-red paint scheme to its ultra-low profile and designer prancing horse emblem, it's truly achieved brand recognition. With this car, Ferrari has engineered a horse that's hard to catch. Offering 660 bhp, and able to reach a top speed of 217.5 mph and turn in a 3.3 second 0-60 mph performance, no one makes fun of Enzo. The intent was to produce a mere 349 cars. The one hitch in an otherwise mouthwateringly tasty ride is the cost: a wallet-numbing $770,868.

Distinguishing Feature: Borrowing a page from the F1 handbook, Ferrari put in a sequential-shift transmission and a set of carbon-ceramic brake discs, which help in controlling this monster.

4- Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 SE 0-60 in 3.85 seconds

What list would be complete without a nod to that other Italian exotic queen, the Lamborghini? You want numbers? The Diablo (2000, 2001) is no slouch. It too uses a unique combination of aluminum alloy; carbon fiber and a fiberglass reinforced plastic body keep it lightweight and maneuverable. Its 6-liter V12 engine gives an output of 550 hp (405 kW) at 7100 rpm. With a top speed estimated at 205 mph, it has enough speed to satisfy. A devilish 0-60 in 3.85 seconds will get you to the corner store and back before you can take a deep breath.

As always, a Lamborghini is built not only for performance, but for comfort. The driver's seat is located more toward the central axis of the car for better positioning. Only 40 SE units were built and were offered in two colors, oro elios (a shade of gold) and marrone eklipsis (a very unique metallic maroon-brown shade). The colors were chosen to reflect the opposite ends of the day, sunrise and sunset; pretty artistic, huh? Oh, and the whole interior is lined with leather. All this can be yours for a mere $300,000.

Distinguishing Feature: The Diablo sports a new Exhaust Noise Control System (ENCS) achieved through a redesigned exhaust pipe system. Noise is reduced at high and low speeds, with no loss of performance.

5- Porsche Carrera GT 0-60 in 3.7 seconds

One of the more "commonly" sighted sports cars in North America over the years has been the Porsche. We all remember the 911 with its James Bond-ian heritage. Then came the 944, with its unmistakable bubble-shaped rear. But the 2003 Carrera showcases Porsche's proud heritage as a true racing machine. It reaches 124 mph from a standing start in 9.9 seconds; the speed's apex is 205 mph.

The Carrera's V10 engine hashes out a very respectable 604 hp. It can do 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. Porsche claims that the main chassis structure is made from aerospace-grade composites, including carbon-fiber sandwich construction with a high-strength honeycomb core. Who are we to disagree?

Combine all the above with the Carrera's silky smooth design, which includes bucket leather seats with a carbon fiber and Kevlar shell, and for only $440,000, you too can be the proud new owner of a Porsche.

Distinguishing Feature: A very cool automatically extending rear wing and an even cooler anti-theft protection system with infrared interior surveillance.